BP 504 T

PHARMACOGNOSY AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY- II

Unit 5

BASICS OF PHYTOCHEMISTRY
MODERN METHODS OF EXTRACTION

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 EXTRACTION
Extraction is the process of efficiently dissolving and separating the desired
constituents from the crude drug with the use of solvents. The choice of extraction
procedure depends on the nature of the plant material and the components to be
isolated.
Several novel extraction methods such as
 Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE)
 Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE)
 Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE)
 Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE)
CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF EXTRACTION
Maceration Maceration process involves the separation of medicinally active
portions of the crude drugs. It is based on the immersion of the crude drugs in a
bulk of the solvent or menstruum. 2
 Macerating Bottle Percolator

Percolation

As the term indicates, percolation is a continuous flow of the solvent through the
bed of the crude drug material to get the extract.
Infusions

It involves soaking the sample with extracting solvent for a prescribed period,
followed by filtration. Continuous application of heat, agitation, and decrease in
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the sample particle size also improves extraction efficiency.
Decoction This once popular process extracts water soluble and heat stable
constituents from crude drugs by boiling in water for 15 min, cooling, straining, and
passing sufficient cold water through the drug to produce the required volume.
Continuous Extraction

Soxhlet extraction

Soxhlet extraction is the process of continuous

extractionin which the same solvent can be
circulated through the extractor for several times.
This process involves extraction followed by
evaporation of the solvent.
The vapours of the solvent are taken to a condenser
and the condensed liquid is returned to the drug for
continuous extraction.
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 MODERN METHODS OF EXTRACTION

Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE)

 UAE is an inexpensive, fast, simple,

less consuming energy and efficient
extraction technique. The enhancement
in extraction obtained by using
ultrasound is mainly attributed to the
effect of acoustic cavitations produced in
the solvent by the passage of an
ultrasound wave.
 UAE extraction process depends on
the particle sizes of plant extracts, the
moisture content and the solvent used.
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Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE)

The microwave-assisted extraction is a method

used for extraction of soluble products into a fluid
from a wide range of materials using microwave.
Electromagnetic energy is convertedto heat
following ionic conduction and dipole
rotationmechanisms.
Microwaves penetrate into biomaterials and
generate heat by interacting with polar molecules
such as water inside the materials.
Then the penetration of microwaves depth into
plant matrix depends on dielectric constant,
moisturecontent, temperature and the frequency of
the electrical field.
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Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE)

Certain gases behave like a free flowing liquids or supercritical fluids at the critical
point of temperature and pressure. Such supercritical fluids have a very high
penetration powers and extraction efficiency.
The gases like carbon dioxide are held as a supercritical fluid at the critical point of
73.83 bar pressure and 31.06°C temperature. At this critical point CO2 behaves as a
liquefied gas or free-flowing liquid and assists the extraction of the phytochemical
constituents from the crude drugs.
CO2 in supercritical fluid extraction are that it is sterile and bacteriostatic.
It is noncombustible and nonexplosive. CO2 is harmless to environment and no
waste products are generated during the process, and it is available in large amount
under favourable condition.
The mixture to be fractionated is passed in the extraction

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 Supercritical Fluid Extraction

Counter-current extraction

Counter-current extraction (CCE), wet raw material is pulverized using toothed disc
disintegrators to produce a fine slurry. In this process, the material to be extracted is
moved in one direction (generally in the form of a fine slurry) within a cylindrical
extractor where it comes in contact with extraction solvent. 8
Further the starting material moves, the more concentrated the extract becomes.
Complete extraction is thus possible when the quantities of solvent and material and
their flow rates are optimized. The process is highly efficient, requiring little time
and posing no risk from high temperature.

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References
1. W. C. Evans, Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy, 16th edition, W.B. Sounders
& Co., London, 2009.
2. Tyler, V.E., Brady, L.R. and Robbers, J.E., Pharmacognosy, 9th Edn., Lea
and Febiger, Philadelphia, 1988.
3. Text Book of Pharmacognosy by T.E. Wallis
4. Mohammad Ali. Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, CBS Publishers &
Distribution, New Delhi.
5. Text book of Pharmacognosy by C.K. Kokate, Purohit, Gokhlae (2007), 37th
Edition, Nirali Prakashan, New Delhi.
6. Essentials of Pharmacognosy, Dr. SH. Ansari, IInd edition, Birla
publications, New Delhi, 2007.
7. Practical Pharmacognosy: C.K. Kokate, Purohit, Gokhlae.
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Thank You

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